Wake Forest School of Medicine Student Clinics: A Comprehensive Overview

Wake Forest School of Medicine is dedicated to providing comprehensive healthcare and educational opportunities for its students. This commitment is exemplified through various student-run clinics and healthcare services, offering valuable practical experience for aspiring medical professionals while addressing the healthcare needs of the community. This article will delve into the diverse aspects of student clinics associated with Wake Forest School of Medicine, including Deacon Health, immunization requirements, and the roles of faculty involved in student education.

Deacon Health: Promoting Student Well-being

Deacon Health (DH) serves as the primary on-campus healthcare provider for Wake Forest University undergraduate and graduate students on the Reynolda Campus. Its mission is to promote and advance the health and well-being of all students through student-centered, comprehensive, compassionate, and inclusive healthcare, ensuring that all individuals are treated with dignity, respect, and exceptional care. DH employs a physician-directed medical staff to offer a wide range of services, including:

Primary care services
Urgent care
Illness care
Physical examinations
Counseling services
Limited psychiatric care
Allergy injections
Immunizations
Radiology
Gynecological services
Pharmacy services
Laboratory services
Sports medicine clinic
Referrals to specialists
Medical information and vaccinations related to travel to international destinations.

Accessing Deacon Health Services

Students can schedule most appointments online through the Deacon Health Portal. The portal allows students to make appointments, view published lab results, print copies of their immunization history, print receipts, and communicate securely with the clinic. Walk-in appointments are available, but students without appointments may experience a wait to see a medical provider.

Costs and Insurance

Full-time Reynolda Campus students generally do not incur additional costs for routine visits to Deacon Health. However, some specific treatments, labs, supplies, and prescriptions may carry additional charges, unless the student is enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan (Student Blue). Part-time students are responsible for all charges incurred. Deacon Health offers discounted "fee-for-service" charges for medications, laboratory tests, observation care, procedures, and some supplies. Payment methods accepted include cash, check, credit/debit cards, Student Blue Insurance, and charges to the student’s account. Students receive a copy of their medical charges on the date of service, which can be used for insurance filing purposes. Note that DH does not participate in or file insurance claims on behalf of patients.

Radiology Services

Deacon Health partners with Atrium Health/Wake Forest Baptist to provide on-site X-ray services. Atrium Health/Wake Forest Baptist handles all billing for these services, and students are responsible for the remaining balance after their insurance processes the claim.

Confidentiality and Medical Records

Student medical records are confidential. Medical records and information may be shared with therapists and physicians directly involved in the student’s care. The release of medical records to other parties requires the student's written consent, obtained through a release of information form completed at the time of each office visit or service, except as allowed by law. Student medical records are retained for 10 years after the last treatment, after which they are destroyed, with the exception of immunization records, which are kept for a longer duration.

Class Excuses and Communication with Faculty

Deacon Health does not provide excuse notes for students. Students are encouraged to discuss their situations with their professors. A receipt documenting visits is available through the portal. However, students may grant permission for Deacon Health to communicate with the Office of Academic Advising in cases of prolonged illness or hospitalization.

After-Hours Care

Deacon Health partners with an outside agency to provide after-hours nurse advice for guidance on current medical concerns. In case of a medical emergency, students are advised to call 911.

Student Insurance Program

Wake Forest University mandates health insurance coverage as a condition of enrollment for all degree-seeking students. Students who can demonstrate comparable coverage that meets the university’s criteria may waive the coverage provided by WFU. Detailed information about the policy plan, process instructions, and eligibility requirements can be found at shi.wfu.edu. The deadline to enroll in or waive this coverage is August 1.

Immunization Requirements

North Carolina State Law (G.S. 130A-152) and Wake Forest University policy require documentation of certain immunizations for students attending Wake Forest. New undergraduate and graduate students must complete the health information and immunization forms (HIIF) available in the Deacon Health Portal. Students must save a copy of their official immunization records as a PDF and upload them to the Deacon Health Portal.

Read also: Understanding Wake Forest Costs

Faculty Involvement in Student Education

Wake Forest School of Medicine boasts dedicated faculty members who are passionate about medical education. Christina Rinaldi, an Assistant Professor of General Internal Medicine at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, serves as a Medical Student Clinical Skills Coach for 1st and 2nd-year medical students. She also teaches Internal Medicine physicians at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Her interests include caring for patients in both hospital and clinic settings. Sarah Maus, an Assistant Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, cares for patients in both the ICU and outpatient Pulmonary clinic, with clinical and academic interests in interstitial lung disease and critical care medicine. Her professional goals center on delivering compassionate, evidence-based care for her patients, while advancing medical education for learners at every level.

Genetic Counseling Opportunities

Genetic counseling students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of genetic counseling sessions at Wake Forest and Forsyth Medical Center. These sessions cover areas such as advanced maternal age, positive prenatal screening results, family history, and ultrasound anomaly cases. Students may attend multidisciplinary case conferences to discuss patients who have a fetus with an ultrasound anomaly and have exposure to the AFP screening laboratory at Wake Forest. Genetic counseling students may observe and participate in a general genetics clinic, including case preparation, genetic counseling during the session, and follow-up. They may also have the opportunity to attend specialty clinics such as the Marfan Syndrome Clinic, Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic, Craniofacial Clinic, and Prader Willi Clinic, and be involved in in-patient consultations at the hospital.

Severe Weather Policy

When the University is closed due to severe weather, DH may have limited staff and may be able to provide care only for injuries and urgent illnesses. Appointments may be rescheduled.

Read also: Wake Forest Student Body

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